Ploy
Ploy Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Object of the Game
Each player skillfully maneuvers his playing pieces along the paths of the playing board in an effort to capture his opponent's Lances, Probes, Shields or Commander. Since pieces can only move along paths in line with the indicators which radiate from their centers, the strategy for capturing—or avoiding capture—lies in knowing when to move a piece and when to rotate it so it may move in a different direction. The first player to capture his opponent's Commander or all of his Lances, Probes and Shields wins!
Number of Players
2 or 4
Playing Pieces
There are four sets of playing pieces. The coral and green sets each include 1 Commander, 6 Lances, 5 Probes and 3 Shields. (Note: In the four-player and partnership games, not all pieces are used.) The yellow and blue sets each include 1 Commander, 2 Lances, 3 Probes and 3 Shields.
Each piece has one or more direction indicators which radiate from the center to the edge of the piece. During the game, pieces must always be positioned so their indicators line up with the paths on the board. Each piece may only move along the paths in line with its indicators.
Across all four sets combined (48 pieces total), the indicator patterns are:
- Commander (4 pieces) — indicators on all four diagonals: upper-left, upper-right, lower-left and lower-right (an "X").
- Lances (16 pieces), three indicator patterns:
- 6 pieces — indicators up, left and right.
- 6 pieces — indicators up, upper-left and upper-right.
- 4 pieces — indicators upper-left, upper-right and down.
- Probes (16 pieces), three indicator patterns:
- 2 pieces — indicators up and down.
- 6 pieces — indicators upper-left and upper-right.
- 8 pieces — indicators up and upper-right.
- Shield (12 pieces) — a single indicator, up.
The Two-Player Game
Setup
Players use only the coral and green playing pieces which are positioned on the board as shown in the setup diagram, each player's fifteen pieces (1 Commander, 6 Lances, 5 Probes, 3 Shields) filling the back rows on his side of the board.
Play
Green plays first. Players move alternately by making either a motion move or a direction move.
A motion move consists of moving one piece over unoccupied spaces horizontally, vertically or diagonally in the direction of one of its indicators. Each piece may be moved the following number of spaces:
- Commander — 1 space
- Lances — 1, 2 or 3 spaces
- Probes — 1 or 2 spaces
- Shields — 1 space
(Example: a Lance moves three spaces in the direction of one of its indicators.)
To capture, a piece must move onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece; the captured piece is removed from the board.
A direction move consists of rotating (turning) one piece so that its indicators point in a different direction. (Example: a Probe rotates so it can move in a different direction on another turn.)
On the same turn, a Shield (unlike other pieces) is allowed to make a direction move following its motion move.
Ending the Game
Game ends when a player captures either his opponent's Commander or all of his Lances, Probes and Shields.
The Four-Player and Partnership Games
Four-Player Game
Four players may play individually or as partners. When playing individually, pieces are positioned as shown in the setup diagram. Each player has 1 Commander, 2 Lances, 3 Probes and 3 Shields.
Players take turns in clockwise rotation, alternating turns by making either a motion move or a direction move. When a player's Commander is captured, he is out of the game; the remainder of his pieces may be used by the capturing player as his own on subsequent turns. (If a player captures the Commander of a player who has been using another player's pieces, the capturing player takes control of any remaining pieces of both defeated players.) When all of a player's Lances, Probes and Shields have been captured, the Commander is removed from the board and that player is out of the game. When all opponents have been defeated, remaining player is the winner.
Partnership Game
In the partnership game, pieces are positioned as shown in the setup diagram. Each player has 1 Commander, 2 Lances, 3 Probes and 3 Shields. (Players A and C are partners.)
Partners sit side by side and move their pieces in individual turns, alternating turns with opposing players. During his turn, each player makes either a motion move or a direction move in the usual manner.
Game ends when one partnership captures both Commanders or all Lances, Probes and Shields or one opponent's Commander and all of his partner's Lances, Probes and Shields.
A player may continue to play as long as he has pieces on the board if his partner has a Commander and at least one other piece on the board. A player whose pieces have all been captured is out of the game. His partner continues to play, alternating turns with opponents. (Thus, if Player A were eliminated, play would continue with Player B, then Player C, Player D, Player C, B, C, etc.)